Disc brake for railway vehicles



Feb; 17, 1948. H, BASE-LT 2,436,136

msc BRAKE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed June 12. 1944 2 Sheats-Sheet l Feb. 17, 1948. w. H. BASI-:LT

DISC BRAKE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES y Y 'Filed June 12, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 l m. w n m Patented Feb. 11.1948

. K 2,438,136 A msc BRAKE non nauwer VEHICLES Walter H. Baselt, Chicago, Ill., asslgnor to Amerl loan Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corpora tion of New Jersey t l application June 12,1944. serial No. casses zo claims. (ci. isssei My invention relates to railway brake equipment and more particularly to a well known type oi so-called oil wheel brakes wherein one or more rotating discs may be associated with each wheel and axle assembly and means provided for brak A ing on the surfaces thereof instead of on the wheel proper. e

The general object of my invention is to devise auch an arrangement wherein independent braking means may be provided for each such rotating disc. For convenience. my invention is illus-l trated as applicable to a four wheel truck in which a rotating disc is mounted adjacent each wheel of the two supporting wheel and axle asmmblies.

A diierent object of my invention is to provide such an arrangement as that described wherein the braking means for each disc may be sup-V ported on the truckl frame at two spaced points and may have a torque arm associated therewith and eccentrically bearing at its extremity on ournal means associated with the adjacent end of the wheel and axle assembly.

In such a truck structure it is well understood' that the truck frame is commonly spring supported from an equalizing arrangement seated on the journal ends of the supporting wheel and axle assemblies. As a result, the truck frame has relative vertical movement with respect to the wheel and axle assemblies and provision must therefore be made, for maintaining a proper alignment between the brakingmeans supported from the truck frame with the brake discs on the wheel and axle assemblies in view of the relative motions that take place therebetween. This sitnation is well understood in the art. It is a general object of my invention to provide novel means of affording proper alignment between the brake parts supported on the truck frame and' the rotating disc carrying the surface to be braked.

My invention contemplates an independentv mounting of vbraking means for each such disc to be braked so that varying conditions at different parts of 'the truck structure may adequately'be met.

My invention comprehends such a structure as that described wherein braking means maybe supported from the truck structure adjacent each wheel for engagement with a brake disc supported for rotation with said wheel and wherein said braking means may comprise a housing for power means and associated levers extending therefrom and supporting brake shoesz ior'engage'ment with opposite sides of sucndiscgand'further, wherein :hand brake means may be associated with each braking means and so arranged as to permit cooperative actuation "of hand brake means at opposite sides ot eachwheel and axle assembly.

My invention'further contemplates such brak-l ing means wherein said housing may support a pivoted fulcrum therein for a. plurality of brake shoe actuating levers as well as for an associated hand brake lever, said pivoted fulcrum being 'capable of such relative movement with respect to said housing as' may permit said shoe carrying levers to have proper alignment.

. My novel brake supporting arrangement is bisymmetrical and so constructed as to permit its application at'any portion of the car truck on either side orat either end thereof as may be more particularly described hereafter,

Inthe drawings,

Figure l isa top plan view illustrating my novel :brake' arrangement as applied to one-corner of a four wheel railway car truck, a portion of the top of the housing being cut away in order to illustrate more clearly the structure therein.

Figure 2 is a sidevelevatlon of the structure shown in Figure l; 'partly in section, the section being taken approximately in the longitudinal vertical planes indicated by the line 2--2 of Figure l. with the power means in elevation and the torque arm and brake disc shown in phantom lines. A 4

Figure 3f is a transverse sectional view through i 'the brake structure illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,

the section being taken approximately in the vertical plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure l. l

` Figuren is a. top plan view of much reduced site, showing the application of my novel braking' 'means to a four wheel railway car truck, only one end of the truck being shown inasmuch as the arrangement is the same at opposite ends.

Figures 5, 6 and "1 show my novel form of pivotal fulcrum block, Figure 5 being a top plan View thereof, Figure 6-"a front elevation taken from the bottom as seen in Figure 5, and Figure 7 an end view taken from the right as seen in Figure 6.

Describing the structure in detail and referring first to the general arrangement as illustratedin Figure d, the' car truck, generally designated 2.

, may be of conventional form and may comprise Vthe usual frame with integral side rails d, li, end lrails 6, t, j'and spaced intermediate transoms 8, d, between Iwhichmay be supported for lateral motion a bolster on which the car body may be mounted in usual mannenV The side frame may v be spring-mountedas at ld', ldl on equalizers be mounted in conventional manner on the journal ends (not shown) of spaced wheel and axle assemblies I2, i2. n each wheel and axle assembly may be mounted a brake drum or disc i4 adjacent each wheel thereof. and braking means. generally designated I8, 'may be mounted on the transom of the truck frame adjacent each disc I4 for support oi brake shoes in engagement therewith, all as more particularly described hereafter.

Referring now to the detail of novel brake structure as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the housing I8 may have tubular portions 28, 28, at opposite sides thereof affording support means for said housing through the medium of spaced arms 22, 22 on each of said tubular members 28, all of said arms being aligned and each pair of arms having a connection at one end of the bracket 24 which may be secured as at 28, 26 to the adjacent transom 8 adjacent its juncture with the side rail 4. The bracket 24may have at each end thereof a clamping arm 28 dening a transverse cylindrical opening. in alignment. with a similar opening in the arm 28 at the opposite end of the bracket, each o t saidopenings affording a convenient mounting for the resilient member or built up bushing 30, whichmay be a laminated structure of well known form mounted within the adjacent bracket 24 and resiliently 'supporting the bolt and nut assembly 32, opposite ends of which may be secured to the spaced lugs 22, said connection being such as to permitrelative lateral, longitudinal or torsional'movement of the housing I8 with respect to the supportingbracket 24. The housing i8 and the braking partsmounted therein are bi-symmetrically arranged for mounting at either side of the truck, the remote ends of the cylindrical portions 28, 28 accommodating respectively a closure plate 34, which may be welded thereto as at 38, 38, and a torque arm 3'8. The said torque arm 38 may have a base portion 48 convenient for closing the end of the adjacent portion 28 of the housing' and may be additionally secured with respect to said housing by angularly arranged brackets 42 and 44, which may be welded to said housing as at48 and to said torque arm as at 48.' The torque arm 38 may project angularly upwardly andthe remote end thereof may overlie the journal'box (not shown) mounted on the end of the adjacent wheel and axle assembly and eccentricall'y seated against said box as at 88 in manner cornriarable to that well known in the art and described in detail in Tack. Patent No. 2,355,120, for Rotor brake, issued August 8, 1944. It will thus be seen that the housing i8, which carries the brake mechanism, is vafforded three-point support on the spaced aligned arms 28, 28 of the bracket 24 and by the extremity of the torque arm 38 which is eccentrically seated on the journal means at the end of the adjacent wheel and axle assembly. l

Intermediate the portions ,28, 28 the housing may be enlarged to ailord a rece'ss'for the doubleacting cartridge type' cylinder or power means 52 4 i transverse wall 82 along the upper portion thereof. and each lever 88 may extend beneath said wall for pivotal connection as at 84 with the fulcrum block 88 and project therebeyond through the adjacent opening 88 ot the front cover plate 18, each opening 88 being made weather-tight by flexible closure means l2 ilxed as at 14 to the adjacent lever. At the projecting end of each lever 80 may be pivotally mounted as at 18 a brake head I8 supporting a brake shoe 80' for engagement as at 82 with one annular face of the adjacent brake drum or disc I4, said drum being shown in section in the view of Figure 1 where said last-mentioned parts are clearly set forth. The pivotal connection at 18 between each lever 88 and the associated brake head 18 may be provided with balancing means 84 (Figure 2), said balancing means also having pivotal connection to said lever arm at the pivot point 14, and being of the form more particularly described and set forth in Tack Patent No. 2,380,803; for Brake head balancing device, issued July 31, 1945.

The fulcrum block 88 is aorded trunnions 88 and 88 (Figure 2) at opposite ends thereof, and said trunnion 88 may be hushed as at 88 within the front closure plate 18, which may be bolted as at 92, 82 to the housing i8 while the trunnion 88 may be bushed as at 84 in the lowermost portion of the before-mentioned'transversewali 82 within said housing. The fulcrum block 86 is a boxlike structure, shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and 1, and may be seen to have a central transverse opening 88 (Figure 7) of rectangular form, the top and bottom walls of which may be formed with iinished pads 88, 88 affording seats or bearings for the knee portion |08 of the toggle |82, the extremities of the opposite arms of which may be pivotally connected as at 184, |84 (Figure 1) with respective brake levers 88, 68, said arms being pivotally connected to each other as at |88.

The inner camlike end of the handv brake lever,

lus may have bearing as at ll 0 (Figure 2) against said knee |08 of the toggle |02, and said lever |08 may be fulcrumed intermediate its ends within said housing at the pivot point 84 (Figure l) said lever projecting through the opening 'H2' in the side wall of the housing I8 formed therein for that purpose. The opening I I2 may be sealed by the flexible closure means ||4 and the extremity of 'the hand brake lever |88 may have pivotal'connection as at ||8 to the equalizer H8 (Figure 4) so that actuation of said equalizer will operate the hand brake mechanisms associated with the braking means |8 at opposite sides o'f the wheel and axle assembly.

Release means for the brake mechanism may be provided in the form of a contractil'spring ||8 (Figures 1 and 2) having its opposite ends connected respectively at the pivot points |04, |04

and said recess may beclosed by the cover plate 53 (Figure 2) secured as at 55, 55. From opposite endsl of the cylinder 52 may project pistons 54, 54, each piston affording a flat face as at 58 for engagement as at 58with the adjacent end of the substantially horizontally arranged brake lever 68, said brake lever presenting an. arcuate surface for engagement with said flat face 58, as clearly seen in the t'op plan view of Figure l.

The housing i8 may have an intermediate where the toggle |82 is likewise connected between the brake levers 88.

The trunnion mountings 88 and 88 ofthe fulcrum block 88 permit said block to rock within the housing I8 but such rocking is restrained by resilient pads or blocks |28, |28 (Figure 3) which bear as at |22, |22 against the tops of the pivot pins |24, |24 which serve as connecting means between said block and the respective brake levers 80. 88. Said blocks |28, |28 may be housed in cavities in the top wall |28 of said housing i8 and confined therewithin under predetermined compression by closure caps |28, |28. A limit to the turning movement or rotation of the fulcrum block 88 is provided by the raised seats or pads 38, |88on the bottom wall of the housing I8,

casarse within said housing as may be necessary under. operating conditions, andv said hollow lug may aiord a recess as at |38 for air straining means (not shown) which may be confined therewithin.

The pivoting fulcrum block 66 is shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and '7 wherein it may be observed to be a casting of skeletal form havingv a central rectangular body portion |40 with a pair of laterally projecting lugs |42, |42 at each side thereof, the lugs of each pair having aligned openings |44, |44 therein aiordin'g convenient connection` for the beforementioned brake lever supporting pivot pins |24, |24 (Figure 3). The junctures of the lugs |42, |42 with the body portion |40 may be reinforced by aligned ribs |46 and |48 extending respectively between the lugs at the top and bottom of said casting. The before-mentioned rectangular opening 96 extending through the central body portion |40 of the casting accommodates the toggle |02 and the projecting cam end of the hand brake lever |06, as already described, while the raised pads 98, 98 on the top and bottom Walls of the opening 96 aiord guide means therefor. At the front ofthe casting may be formed a finished boss |50 from which may project `the before-mentioned trunnion 86 while at the rear of said casting may be formed a similar boss'l52 from which may project the aligned trunnion 88, said inished bosses |50 and |52 being closely fitted within the cooperating bosses on the cover plate and the intermediate wall 62 of the housing, as well shown in Figure 2. By this means the fulcrum casting is permitted a tilting action on said trunnion within predetermined limits within said housing, as already described.

In operation, it will readily be understood that actuation of the power means 52 will cause the pistons 54, 54 to move away from each other,

causing the inboard and outboard brake levers 68, 60 to rotate in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively, about the pivot points 64, 64, thus causing the brake shoes 80, 80 supported at the corresponding ends of said levers, to bear against the oppositel braking faces of the disc I4. Release of the power means will permit the release spring ||9 to reverse the movement of the levers, and the brake head balancing means will then maintain the brake shoes in spaced -relation-with respect to said disc. In the case of hand operation, rotation of the hand brake lever |08 in a clockwise direction (Figure 1) about the pivot 64 will cause the cam end thereof to engage at I I0 the knee of the toggle |02, thus forcing the levers 60, 60 in opposite directions to apply the brakes. Again, release of the hand brake lever |||8 will permit the release spring H0 to restore the brake levers to normal position. u

It will be understood that the resilient bush-- ings 30, 30, which serve to connect each housing 8 with the supporting frame bracket, will permit some relative lateral, longitudinal and torsional movement of said housing with respect to said frame. At the same time, it will also be understood that the pivoted fulcrum block 66 will substantially increase the amount of .relative twist ing or torsional movement permitted between the unsprung brake disc on the wheel andaxle assembly and the housing as, wmeh. of course, is connected tothe spring-mounted truck frame.

It is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited bythe exact embodiment of the device l shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of'the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art withoutv departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a supporting wheel and axle assembly having a rotating member with radial braking faces, a truck frame supported from said assembly, and braking means comprlsing va, housing'supported from said frame with a torque arm connected to said assembly, and brake rigging within said housing including a fulcrum block pivoted therein, power means, `a pair of brake levers fulcr-umed at opposite ends of said block, operatively connected to said power means at corresponding ends and projecting from said housing and supporting braking elements for engagement with said faces, and release means connected between said levers at points intermediate their fulcrums' and power connections.'

2. In a railway car truck, a wheel and axle assembly, a truck frame spring-supported therefrom, brake discs with radial` braking faces'on said assembly adjacent each wheel, brake meansV for each disc comprising a housing connected to said frame for relative lateral, longitudinal and torsional' movement with respect thereto, said housing having a torque arm connected to said assembly, a fulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a plurality of levers fulcrumed from said block, power and hand means vfor actuating said levers, said hand means including an auxiliary lever pivoted at one of said fulcrum points, and an operative connection between the auxiliary levers associated with respective housing'.

3. In arailway car truck, a wheel and axle assembly, a truck frame supported therefrom, brake discs with radial braking faces on said assemblyadjacent each wheel, brake means for each disc comprising a housing connected at spaced pointsto said frame for relative lateral, longitudinal and torsional movement with respectthereto, said housing having a vtorque arm connected to said assembly, a fulcrum block movably mounted in said housing, power means. and a brakelever fulcrumed from said block, operatively connected to said power means, and supporting a Abraking element for engagement with a face of the adjacent disc.

4. In a railway car truck, a supporting wheel and axle assembly lhaving a rotating member with radial braking faces, a truck frame supportedfrom said assembly, and braking means comprising a housing resiliently supported from said frame with a torque arm connected vto said assembly, and brake rigging within said housing including a fulcrum block movably mounted therein,A power means, and a pair of brake levers fulcrumed at opposite ends of said block, operatively connected to said power means at cor responding' ends and projecting from said housing and supporting braking elements for engagement with said faces.

5. In a railway car truck, a wheel and axle assemblyv having a rotating member with a radial braking face, a truck frame spring-supported' from said assembly, and braking means comprising al housing supported from said frame and having a torque'arm eccentrically connected to said-assembly, a pivoted fulcrum block, a

assenso for each disc comprising a housing connected to said truck frame and having e. torque arm con nected to said assembly, a ulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a pair of levers ulcrumed from said block, and power means operatively connected to said levers, each of said levers pivotally supporting a braking element for engagementv with an adjacent face.

'7. In a railway car truck, a wheel and asie assembly, a truck frame spring-supported therefrom, brake discs with radial braking faces on said assembly adjacent each wheel, brake means for each disc comprising a housing connected to said truck frame and having a torque arm. connected to said assembly, a fulcrum block movably mounted in said housing, a pair o levers fulcrumed from said block. power means operatively connected to said levers, each of said levers supporting a braking element for engagementywith an adjacent face, and balancing means for each of said elements. l

8. In a railway car truck, a wheel and axle assembly having spaced rotating means with braking faces, a truck frame supported from said assembly. and brake means for each rotating means comprising a housing supported from said frame with a torque arm connected to said Y assembly, a fulcrum blockpivoted in said housing, power means. and a brake lever iulcrumed from said block, operatively connected to said power means and supporting a braking element for engagement with an acacent face.

9. In a raiway car truck, a wheel and axle assembly having thereon spaced pairs of radial braking faces, a truck frame supported from said assembly, and brake means for each pair oomprlsing a housing supported from said frame with a torque arm connected to said assembly. a fulcrum block pivoted in said housing. POwer means, and brake levers fulcrumed from said block, operatively connected to said power means and supporting braking elements.

10. In a railway car truck.` a wheel and axle assembly, a truck frame spring-supported therefrom, brake discs with radial braking faces on said assembly adjacent each wheel, brake means for each disc comprising a housing resiliently connected to said truck frame and having a torque arm connected to said assembly, a Iulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a pair o! levers fulcrumed from said block, and power and hand brake means operatively connected to said levers.

1l. In a railway car truck. a wheel and axle assembly, a truck frame spring-supported therefrom, brake discs with radial braking faces on said assembly acacent respective wheels, brake means for each disc comprising a housing supported from said truck i'rame and having a torque arm connected to said assembly, a fulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a pair oi levers fulcrumed from said blockand power and release means operatively connected to said levers.

12. In a railway car truck, a whecland axle CEB assembly. a truck irame supported therefrom. brake discs with radial braking faces on said assembly adjacent each wheel, brake means for each disc comprising a housing connected to said frame, said housing having a torque arm connected to said assembly. a fulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a brake lever iulerumed iront saidblock, and an auxiliary lever alcrumed from said block for actuation oi said brake lever.

13. In a brake arrangement for vehicle coinprising s. frame spring-supported .from a wheel and axle assembly, a brake surface rotatable with said assembly, braking means transversely movable and eccentrically supported with respect to said assembly, and a torque connection between said means and, said assembly, said braking means comprising a pirated fulcrum block and a brake lever fulcrurned therefrom for support o a friction element in engagement with saidv surface.

le. In a brake arrangement for a vehicle coinprising a frame supported from a wheel and axle assembly, braking surfaces rotatable with said assembly, braking means transversely movable and eccentrically supported with respect to said assembly, and a torque connection between said means and said assembly, said braking means comprising a pivoted block and a plurality of brake levers operatively ulcrumed thereon and carrying friction elements for engagement with said surfaces.

15. In a railway car truck, a wheel and axle, a truck frame spring-supported therefrom, brake discs with radial braking faces on said assembly adjacent' each wheel. brake means for each disc comprising a housing connected to said truck frame and having a torque arm connected to said assembly', a fulcrum block pivoted in said housing, a pair of levers fulcrumed from said'block, and power means operatively connected to said levers,

16. In a brake assembly for a railway car truck having sprung and unsprung members, a rigid frame movably supported between said members and carrying braking' means for engagement with a brake surface on one of said members, and a Iulcrum block mounted on said rigid frame, said block affording pivotal support for a brake lever, and yielding means for restraining lthe movement of said block.

17. In a brake assembly for a railway car truck having sprung and unsprung members, a rigid frame connected between said members and movable with respect to both. said frame supporting braking means for engagement with a brake surface on one of said members, and a fulcrum block plvoted on said rigid frame, a brake lever on said block, yielding means for restraining the pivotal movement of said block, and stop means on said rigid frame and said block limiting tho pivotal movement thereof.

18. In a brake arrangement, a rigid frame connected between sprung and unsprung members of a railway car truck and affording support for a plurality of brake levers carrying braking elements for engagement with braking faces on one of said members, said support comprising means pivoted on said frame to rotate in a single plane, and yieldable means restraining relative movement of said pivoted means and said rigid frame.

' 19. In a brake arrangement, a rigid frame connected between sprung and unsprung members of a vehicle, said frame having means mounting a brake lever with a braking element for engagement with a braking facevon one of said-niembers, said mounting means comprising a. member supported on said frame to rotate in one plane and supporting said brake'lever to rotate in a different plane.

20. In a brake arrangement, a rigid frame connected between sprung and unsprung members of a, vehicle, said frame having means mounting a brake lever with a braking element for engagement with a braking face on one of said members, said mounting means comprising a member rotatable in a given plane with respect to said frame and supporting said lever to permit rotation in a different plane.

WALTER H. BASELT.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

